Dylan Cozens Took Step Forward In Many Facets, Phillies Say

Best player: Hulking, 6-foot-6 right fielder Dylan Cozens launched a minor league-best 40 home runs and 125 RBIs for Double-A Reading. The 22-year-old hit .276/.350/.591 with 38 doubles, 106 runs scored and 21 stolen bases in 22 tries.

“Dylan’s gotten better in multiple phases of the game,” farm director Joe Jordan said, “(including) on the bases and in the outfield, and his throwing has improved. And obviously his power production has taken a big step forward. Everybody pays attention to the power, but he’s gotten better in every aspect, and that’s exciting.”

The 2012 second-round pick checks in at 250 pounds and is a former defensive end who passed on a chance to play football at Arizona to sign with the Phillies.

Best pitcher: Righthander Jake Thompson not only made the jump to Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, but he shined. The 22-year-old went 11-5, 2.50 in 21 starts and won the International League ERA title, not to mention its pitcher-of-the-year award. He went 8-0, 1.21 in his final 11 starts to earn an Aug. 6 callup to Philadelphia.

Command of a low-90s, sinking fastball is Thompson’s calling card, and that pitch is complemented by a nice mix of offspeed stuff. The Tigers made him a second-round pick in 2012, and he has been traded twice since then. The Phillies acquired him from the Rangers in the 2015 deal for Cole Hamels.

The Phillies also picked up righthander Jerad Eickhoff and prospects Jorge Alfaro and Nick Williams in the Hamels deal.

Keep an eye on: Word on Andrew Pullin at draft time in 2012 was that he had a big fan in the front office. Senior adviser Pat Gillick loved the Centralia, Wash., prep star’s lefthanded bat, and the Phillies drafted him in the fifth round. Pullin played second base as an amateur before converting to left field.

Pullin hit .258/.300/.396 in 123 games at high Class A Clearwater in 2015, then abruptly retired at the end of spring training 2016. He came back a month later and played his way to Double-A, where he became a huge part of Reading’s success, batting .346/.393/.559 with 10 home runs in 46 games. Still just 22, he put himself in line to be added to the 40-man roster.

“He had some things he needed to sort out,” Jordan said. “He came back ready to go and has had a hell of a year.”